Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to parlor games, and more particularly to an improved system and method of activating a pay-for-play parlor game, and automatically calculating a score of a pool-based game.
Coin operated pool tables (or pay-for-play pool tables) are widely used for a variety of pool games, such as eight ball, nine ball, snooker, and the like. Typically, a player hits a cue ball with a pool cue in an attempt to knock the cue ball into solidcolored and striped numbered balls. Depending on the rules of the particular pool game, a player “scores” by sinking the appropriate balls into pockets of the pool table.
In order to begin playing a game of pool, a player typically inserts coins into a coin acceptor located on the pool table. Once an amount sufficient to play a game is inserted, a holding rack that retains the colored balls within the pool table is opened, thereby allowing a player to access the balls. The balls are then placed on the playing surface of the pool table in order to begin play.
Typical pay-for-play pool tables only include a coin acceptor, but not a bill acceptor. This is because the use of a bill acceptor requires increased power and space. One of the obstacles to providing power to such bill acceptors is that most pool tables require unobstructed access from all sides of the table for game play. Further, a pool table usually requires a generous amount of floor space surrounding a table for game play. Electrical wires or cabling passing from the pool table to a wall outlet are obtrusive and pose tripping problems.
Additionally, typical pool games are manually scored. Scoring games manually, however, may be inexact due to human error. Further, keeping track of scoring represents one more thing to be cognizant of during a game, and may be distracting to a player.
Thus, a need exists for a system and method of activating a pay-for-play pool table that is more efficient and user-friendly. Further, a need exists for a system and method of automatically scoring a pool game.